You are here

Editorial: Remember, Pass On Meaning, Need For Holiday

A Memorial Day ceremony is scheduled for 2 p.m. today at the U.S. National Cemetery in Fort Smith. Maj. Gen. William Wofford, Arkansas State Adjutant General, will be the speaker, and guests will have the chance to lay wreaths in memory of the men and women who served this great nation.

Memorial Day, originally called Decoration Day, is a day to remember those who died in serving our country. According to the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs, on May 5, 1868, (three years after the end of the Civil War), “the head of an organization of Union veterans — the Grand Army of the Republic (GAR) — declared Decoration Day as a time for the nation to decorate the graves of the war dead with flowers.”

Memorial Day was officially proclaimed May 5, 1868, by Gen. John Logan, national commander of the Grand Army of the Republic, in his General Order No. 11.

Although there were reports of women in the South placing flowers on the graves of fallen soldiers during the war, the first large observance was held May 30, 1868, at Arlington National Cemetery.

The first state to officially recognize the holiday was New York in 1873. By 1890, all of the northern states recognized it. The South observed the event on separate days until after World War I.

At one time, Decoration Day was a day filled with activity at ceremonies. Cemeteries across the nation and particularly in the South were filled with people, picnicking, placing flowers on graves and remembering the sacrifices made to keep our country great.

Today, traditional observances of Memorial Day have waned. Many have forgotten the meaning and traditions. What a sad thing that is.

At some cemeteries, the graves of the fallen soldiers are neglected. Many people don’t know proper flag etiquette for the day. Some think the day is for honoring all those who have died, not just those fallen in service to our country.

In 2000, a resolution was passed stating at 3 p.m. on Memorial Day that all Americans should pause for a moment of silence or listen to taps to remember and show respect.

But something more needs to be done. We need to teach our children why we have the day, that it is more than a day off work or school and more than picnics and ballgames and backyard barbecues. We need to remind the younger generations of the sacrifices made and why we should remember and be thankful.

We can do that by taking them to ceremonies like the one at the National Cemetery. We can do that by taking them to place flowers on a grave. We can do that with a moment of silence and a few extra moments of education. We can do that throughout the year by not taking our freedom for granted and living with an air entitlement.

It’s not too much to ask to give a few moments of respect for those who served our country. They deserve so much more; let’s all give them at least that.